Camp Wabi: Parent Q&A

Sending your child to a summer camp for a week can be frightening for you and your child, especially if it’s their first time. We want to welcome every child at Camp Wabi and get them excited to integrate healthy habits into their lifestyle in a fun and easy way.

You may have questions when thinking about sending your child to Camp Wabi, so let us answer them for you.

Won’t my child feel worse if they go to a camp only for overweight kids? We shouldn’t hesitate to help someone who looks different. We want kids to live healthy lives. Sometimes, if people are overweight, they have pain, which can cause them not to live their lives to the best of their ability. We want to help them be the best they can be.

How do lessons on behavioral health, exercise and nutrition help my child lose weight? We don’t talk about weight. We talk about healthy lifestyle habits, such as portion control, reading labels, how to cook healthy and more. If you do the healthy lifestyle habits, the weight will come off. Camp Wabi is not a boot camp. We don’t have exercise classes. We have fun by playing games, doing archery, going down the slip ‘n slide and more. It’s about having fun with the kids and showing them that having a healthy lifestyle can be fun.

What if my child gets homesick, and I don’t know if they should go? We have amazing camp counselors that know how to deal with all sorts of situations and different kids. They spend an entire summer with kids, so they know different tricks and activities to get kids excited about camp and happy to be there.

Do you offer financial assistance? We have never, and will never, turn a child down due to inability to pay. There is tiered pricing structure and funding available through the YMCA and the Strong Kids Foundation that will help pay for camp.

What happens when my child comes home from Camp Wabi? We have a reunion for the kids so they can come back and visit again, and we can talk about any obstacles they may have experienced since they’ve been away. We do expect for some to have difficulty following everything they were taught when it comes around to school time, but that’s what the reunion is for, so they can learn about how to continue being successful with their healthy lifestyle habits.

How do I know if my child should go to Camp Wabi this year? Your child will enjoy their time at Camp Wabi. There are so many activities to do, and it’s the most beautiful experience they can have. You may drop your child off and they might be scared, but when you pick them up after the week, they are a new person. These kids love the camp experience they get at Camp Wabi.

Watch this video for more answers to your questions about sending your child to Camp Wabi: